Pit Bull

Coat or no coat?

mercredi 1 octobre 2014

Our puppy will be 13 weeks this weekend. I'm debating on whether it's worth it to get him a winter coat or not. We live in Michigan so the winter can get pretty chilly.

On the one hand, he's a puppy and can't stay overly warm on his own.

On the other hand, he doesn't need as rigorous of an exercise routine as an adult dog so on days when it's excessively cold, he can stay inside for the most part.

I do, however, want to walk him as much as is reasonable (as well as getting him used to the snow), but he will be growing so much that I can't decide if it's worth it to spend $50+ on a dog coat if it's not really that necessary.

Thoughts?

Coat or no coat?

Cowhide questions

Bear with me as I have no experience with cowhide.

I purchased a full calf hide on Sunday and at the advice of the people who sold it to me, cut it into smaller strips. I got 18 strips that are a decent size. The hide was salted and was recently "done" so it was still somewhat damp. The pieces have been drying out in the sun since Sunday, and have hardened somewhat, but the thicker pieces (mostly the head/ears) are still a bit gooey, lol. I've been bringing them in at night so they don't get wet from dew.

About how long will it be until they are ready for use on a spring pole? I tried using one yesterday and it ripped right off (total newb...) How far into the strip do you recommend poking the hole to attach to the pole? Any thoughts, even pictures, would be appreciated!

Cowhide questions

Whining

My puppy sometimes just randomly whines and I have no idea why!

He doesn't have to go out, I give him plenty of attention, and he has more toys at his disposal than PetSmart!

Whining

Biting

I know there are threads for this but it seems they've gotten stale. My puppy isn't terrible at biting, but sometimes he gets in these moods where he just looks for a reason to bite.

He's 8 months old, and I've done everything. I re-direct him to a toy, I tell him no, I try to reward him when he licks instead of bites, I have done the whole yelp thing.

I used a water bottle to gently spray him when he bites, nothing really works great.

I think it may just be something that takes a while to learn or that he'll slowly grow out of.

Just wanted to get a discussion going on this, and see if there's anything else people recommend.

Biting

In Memoriam: Dr. Sophia Yin

Widely popular California veterinarian and behaviorist Sophia Yin tragically committed suicide on Sunday. *From her obituary in the Sac Bee:

Dr. Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and internationally recognized pioneer in the field of animal behavior as it relates to training pets, died Sept. 28 of suicide at her Davis home, according to the Yolo County coroner’s office. She was 48.

[...]

Dr. Yin taught animal owners and trainers to reward animals for positive behaviors as they occur and to remove rewards for bad behavior. In addition, she developed and promoted “low-stress handling” techniques for treating and working with animals in veterinary clinics, zoos, shelters, groomers and other care settings.

It*s not uncommon for caretakers to put the emotional well being of others, including animals, first. But you can*t take care of anyone else if you don*t take care of yourself. It*s not bad to put your needs first. In fact, it empowers you to make sure you are able to care for those around you.

If you need someone to talk to, call 1-800-273-8255 anytime, day or night to talk to a trained counselor. You can also chat online.

Please feel welcome to share thoughts regarding Dr. Yin*s life and work in the comments.

Happy 1st Birthday Outlaw!

Happy 1st birthday to Gunslinger's Wanted Dead or Alive "The Outlaw" or as you're commonly known as Coleslaw! I love you more then words can say, you crazy, goofy, rude, happy big black idiot!

You've become more then I EVER expected out of you. You are my first sport dog and my introduction into the world of Dock Dogs. I never knew how far we'd come as a team from the first time you launched yourself off a boulder into the water, from your first 7 foot jump to your personal best of 20 feet and making it to Master finals even though you are a senior jumping dog. I NEVER once thought you'd be as talented as you are. Moving up a division every time you competed. From putting your first title on you to your first ribbon, I never once thought we'd make it this far, now on your first birthday, I'm thinking of how we can possibly make it to World's next year.

You came into my life when I needed you the most, after the devastating loss of my heart dog. You wormed your way into my heart in the same way Beau did, if not more. You're with me everywhere I go, always by my side to give me a smile or make me laugh by doing something stupid.

I love you Outlaw, happy birthday my Labramoose!!!